Rudd calls for era of "social capitalism" (3 Viewers)

[Lentern]

Hitler didn't murder a single Jew.

Go watch "Frost Nixon" I was lampooning Nixon.

 

[Lentern]

Such is the nature of man. Why should I go to work and earn money to help my fellow man? Isn't that the point of working, to help oneself? Rich people are taxed at a higher rate than low income earners - they pay for their success. Why do they owe you anything?

Because life wasn't meant to be fair and there is no reason why something could not go your way one day leaving you without a job, a mortgage and a child. But more so than that, because it is the nice, kind thing to do. Does todays society no longer value such attributes in a person? Probably, thats why the government can't rely upon the individual and must tax the money rather than expect them to do the kind, nice thing with it.

 

[Trefoil]

Tell us about how Obama was cruising for a win long before anyone had heard of Sarah Palin.

You really make it hard to take you seriously man. Your posts are riddled with poorly phrased socialist propaganda and now your insults make no sense (for starts I was a McCain supporter until July).

 

[katie tully]

I really don't get what he is saying. Is he saying that rich people need to pay even more tax, because some other people have fallen on bad times and it's the nice thing to do?

Non comprende, someone explain.

 

[whatashotbyseve]

Because life wasn't meant to be fair and there is no reason why something could not go your way one day leaving you without a job, a mortgage and a child. But more so than that, because it is the nice, kind thing to do. Does todays society no longer value such attributes in a person? Probably, thats why the government can't rely upon the individual and must tax the money rather than expect them to do the kind, nice thing with it.

Nonsense. Once again socialist Rudd continues his one man crusade against the rich. They pay higher taxes to contribute welfare payments to the less fortunate - is that not a positive societal trait? Rudd seems hellbent on casting himself as a tragically comical Robin Hood, lampooning Turnbull's merchant banker background - without once looking at the vast hypocrisy that he (rather, his wife) is a multi-millionaire.

Sometimes I think it is time for a regressive tax system. What financial benefit is there to earn an above average income these days?

 

[katie tully]

Financial benefit is the wrong term. There is plenty of financial benefit to be made by increasing your income. There is just no 'incentive' per se. Why work hard to make a lot of money, when you're going to pay 58 k, plus 40% on each dollar over 180k. All the while, people like Lentern rip on you for being rich.

 

[Trefoil]

I really don't get what he is saying. Is he saying that rich people need to pay even more tax, because some other people have fallen on bad times and it's the nice thing to do?

Non comprende, someone explain.

I dunno either. It's not like you disagree with taxes (as you said earlier) and you accept the existence of graduated/progressive taxation, so what more does he want from you?

Whatashotbysteve: regressive tax systems totally fuck up economies.

 

[whatashotbyseve]

Whatashotbysteve: regressive tax systems totally fuck up economies.

More than they are now?

I don't think one will ever be implemented. What about a flat tax rate of say 25-30%?

 

[katie tully]

I think 17% flat tax was proposed once, but it meant increasing the tax free threshold to 20k or something

 

[Lentern]

I really don't get what he is saying. Is he saying that rich people need to pay even more tax, because some other people have fallen on bad times and it's the nice thing to do?

Non comprende, someone explain.

I am not at all surprised that advocating kindness confuses you.

 

[katie tully]

I am not at all surprised that advocating kindness confuses you.

I think it's because your concept of kindness and forced charity confuse you.

 

[Lentern]

I think it's because your concept of kindness and forced charity confuse you.

Democratically forced, the democratic part of it makes it ok.

 

[withoutaface]

Democratically forced, the democratic part of it makes it ok.

If 51% of the population decided to throw 49% to the lions, that'd be ok? Democracy is not of itself justification for anything.

 

[Lentern]

If 51% of the population decided to throw 49% to the lions, that'd be ok? Democracy is not of itself justification for anything.

How do you propse we govern then?

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

If 51% of the population decided to throw 49% to the lions, that'd be ok? Democracy is not of itself justification for anything.

haha, awful post.

 

[Will Shakespear]

It's not a crime when the government does it.

sounds like something milton orkopoulis might have said

 

[Will Shakespear]

Rudd is some weird breed of left and right economic policies. I won't even begin to try and classify it, but really most such policies are are fairly centrist (centre-left, centre-right, whatever). I do think he's a tool, but he's no more a socialist (gets called that by the far-right) than he is a capitalist (gets called that by the far-left). Either classification of him is stupid.

he's whatever will make him popular at the moment, then something else at the next

 

[withoutaface]

How do you propse we govern then?

Strawman. I said the fact that a government had the approval of 51% of the populous was in itself not a defence to abusing their power, not that we should change the system.

 

[neo o]

Katie, we have a 10% flat tax in Australia. It's the GST, and it would have been a thing of beauty if the Democrats didn't destroy it to make sure that cold chicken and razors were exempt. The problem with the GST is that you can't assign a tax-free threshold to it, obviously.

I'd like to see an income and FBT system with a flat tax of around 25%, with a threshold where it is now and social security payments quarantined from tax. It would simplify the system a hellava lot.

 

[katie tully]

I meant income tax, not a broad based sales tax.